3.7 million Ugandan children live in poverty

Oct 22, 2015

More than 3.7 million Ugandan children under the age of five live in poverty and lack clean water, contributing to malnutrition and disease, a survey has revealed.

By Chris Kiwawulo

More than 3.7 million Ugandan children under the age of five live in poverty and lack clean water, contributing to malnutrition and disease, a survey has revealed.


Out of the total population of about 34.9 million Ugandans, 18% or 6,282,000 of them are children under 5 years of age.

 “Only 12% of children who make it to secondary school actually finish. Nearly 78% of children said they were sexually abused at school. One in ten Ugandan children is an orphan,” stated the survey dubbed ‘the National Forum on the State of the Ugandan Child’.

According to a statement from the US embassy in Kampala, these statistics are unacceptable.  The U.S Mission in Uganda is therefore supporting the Government of Uganda to host the National Forum on the State of the Ugandan Child where these appalling statistics will be discussed.

The two-day event will take place on Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28th at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala.

“This is a two-day event with high-level Ugandan government officials, U.S. Embassy officials, national child development specialists, international contributors, and more than 500 other participants,” the statement pointed out.

The Forum is intended to launch a national movement – to include leaders, parents, teachers, and civil society – dedicated to improving the well-being of children in the areas of education, health care, and child protection. 

A National Action Plan with goals, objectives, measurable actions, and national targets for improving the situation for children throughout the country, will be presented for validation.

Participants will include: U.S. Mission Uganda Chargé d'Affaires Patricia Mahoney, USAID Mission Director Leslie Reed, and high-level Government of Uganda officials.

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